e skirmish, and a number more were wounded, though not severely, the
old battery commanded the mountain-side, and its skilful gunners
swept it at every point the foot of man could scale. The sun went down
flinging his last flame on a victorious battery still crowning the
mountain pass. The dead were buried by night in a corner of the little
plateau, borne to their last bivouac on the old gun-carriages which
they had stood by so often--which the men said would "sort of ease their
minds."

The next day the fight was renewed, and with the same result. The old
battery in its position was unconquerable. Only one fear now faced them;
their ammunition was getting as low as their rations; another such day
or half-day would exhaust it. A sergeant was sent back down the mountain
to try to get more, or, if not, to get tidings. The next day it was
supposed the fight would be renewed; and the men waited, alert, eager,
vigilant, their spirits high, their appetite for victory whetted by
success. The men were at their breakfast, or what went for breakfast,
scanty at all times, now doubly so, hardly deserving the title of a
meal, so poor and small were the portions of cornmeal, cooked in their
frying-pans, which went for their rations, when the sound of artillery
below broke on the quiet air. They were on their feet in an instant and
at the guns, crowding upon the breastwork to look or to listen; for the
road, as far as could be seen down the mountain, was empty except for
their own picket, and lay as quiet as if sleeping in the balmy air. And
yet volley after volley of artillery came rolling up the mountain. What
could it mean? That the rest of their force had come up and was engaged
with that at the foot of the mountain? The Colonel decided to be ready
to go and help them; to fall on the enemy in the rear; perhaps they
might capture the entire force. It seemed the natural thing to do, and
the guns were limbered up in an incredibly short time, and a roadway
made through the intrenchment, the men working like beavers under the
excitement. Before they had left the redoubt, however, the vedettes sent
out returned and reported that there was no engagement going on, and the
firing below seemed to be only practising. There was quite a stir in
the camp below; but they had not even broken camp. This was mysterious.
Perhaps it meant that they had received reinforcements, but it was a
queer way of showing it. The old Colonel sighed as he thought